BadgerBlitz.com's Wisconsin player draft: Round 6
This summer, the Badgers will be divided.
That is, they'll be separated into three imaginary teams, set against each other by a BadgerBlitz.com.com Wisconsin player draft, a daily selection in which separate groups of 23 are assembled.
Over the next four weeks, BadgerBlitz.com reporters Jon McNamara, John Veldhuis and Jessi Schoville will draft Badgers, picking players one-by-one and placing them on their respective teams, trying to assemble the best 11 on offense and defense, plus one reserve.
Then, in late July, we'll decide — based on BadgerBlitz.com.com staff and member feedback — which team would win.
Who will be selected when? How will the teams develop? What reasoning will be used?
And most importantly, do you agree with the picks? Be sure to discuss in the Badgers' Den.
Ready for Round 6?
Pick No. 16: DT Olive Sagapolu (Veldhuis)
Coming back around after taking Chris Orr with my previous pick, I wanted to stick on the defensive side of the ball for another round to continue to shore things up while there were still some difference makers left for me to pick. And with the Badgers still running a 3-4 defense under new defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox, I wanted to get an anchor at nose tackle to firm up the middle of my defense.
Olive Sagapolu was there for the taking, and I was glad to get him after he performed well during his true freshman season. He has a good combination of girth, strength and technique and became an important part of Wisconsin's first-team defense at the end of last season, to the point where the Badgers have enough depth to play Conor Sheehy at defensive end after initially pegging him as a tweener.
If you don't have a solid nose tackle it's hard to run a 3-4 defense, and Sagapolu helps me stabilize another level of my defense - allowing me to focus on offense for the next few picks.
Position | Player | Pick Number |
---|---|---|
Tailback |
Corey Clement |
3 |
Cornerback |
Sojourn Shelton |
4 |
Offensive Guard |
Jon Dietzen |
9 |
Offensive Tackle |
Jacob Maxwell |
10 |
Inside Linebacker |
Chris Orr |
15 |
Nose Tackle |
Olive Sagapolu |
16 |
Pick No. 17: RB Dare Ogunbowale (Schoville)
From the very start of the draft I had my eye on a certain player. I was hoping he would drop in the draft due to the depth at his position, and for the most part that's exactly what happened. But I was done waiting.
With my 6th round selection I went with running back Dare Ogunbowale.
Ogunbowale came up big in Corey Clement’s absence last year, and at times was the only reason the Badger offense managed to stay afloat. He possesses elite quickness and has been growing at the tailback position on a day-to-day basis.
Running backs coach John Settle has had nothing but praise for the cornerback turned halfback.
“He never looked back, he never said ‘I wish.’ He came in, he studied, applied himself and learned the offense,” Settle said. “Being a smart player, he was able to learn and pick it up quickly. We didn’t know when the season started he was going to be the guy.”
A major reason I went with Ogunbowale is that in addition to being a talented athlete and football player, he really comes across as a genuine guy who gains the respect of everyone he meets. With an entire off-season and the experience from last season under his belt, Ogunbowale could be a dynamic weapon this coming year.
Clement agrees.
“Believe it or not I’m one of the guys that looks up to Dare, I’m sure he does to me as well,” Clement said. “I believe he can do anything he puts his mind to.”
Position | Player | Pick Number |
---|---|---|
Outside Linebacker |
Vince Biegel |
2 |
Wide Receiver |
Rob Wheelwright |
5 |
Offensive Lineman |
Beau Benzschawel |
8 |
Inside Linebacker |
T.J. Edwards |
11 |
Tight End |
Troy Fumgalli |
14 |
Tailback |
Dare Ogunbowale |
17 |
Pick No. 18: Derrik Tindal (McNamara)
I feel good about my linebackers and with Wisconsin's depth on the defensive line, I can wait another round to address that need. So in Round 6, I decided to add a starting cornerback to my team in Derrick Tindal, who is penciled in opposite Sojourn Shelton on Justin Wilcox's No. 1 defense.
Tindal, who is entering his junior season, has been a reliable reserve the past two seasons in nickel packages. He has a big fall ahead of him, though, as he tries to hold off Titus Booker, Natrell Jamerson and Lubern Figaro (could also work at safety).
"DT has come a long way," Shelton said this spring. "He's definitely prepared to take on that role. But a lot of guys are prepared to play a lot more football than they're used to playing."
Position | Player | Pick Number |
---|---|---|
Left Tackle |
Ryan Ramczyk |
1 |
Center |
Michael Deiter |
6 |
Wide Receiver |
Jazz Peavy |
7 |
Outside Linebacker |
T.J. Watt |
12 |
Inside Linebacker |
Jack Cichy |
13 |
Cornerback |
Derrick Tindal |
18 |